Device for applying mud and method of implementing the device

Abstract

Title: Liquid mud application device and method of implementation. The invention relates to a liquid mud application device (1) comprising a structure (2) comprising a peripheral belt wall (3) extending between a ground support base (4), in the lower part (5), and an upper part (6) defining a cavity (7) shaped to accommodate a user, said device (1) comprising mud injection means (16) and said cavity (7) comprising mud evacuation means (25), these injection means (16) and mud evacuation means (25) being connected through mud recirculation means (26).Advantageously, the peripheral belt wall (3), the ground support base (4) and the upper wall (6) delimit a housing (29) for receiving a mud tank (30) to which said mud injection means (16) and said mud evacuation means (25) are connected via the mud recirculation means (26). The invention also relates to a method for implementing this application device. Figure for the abstract: [Fig.3].

Description

Title of the invention: Device for applying mud and method of implementing the device

[0001] the present invention relates to a device for applying liquid mud to the body of a user. The invention also relates to a method for implementing such a device.

[0002] The present invention applies in the fields of care and in particular: thermalism, thalassotherapy, balneotherapy, spas, etc.

[0003] Different solutions are currently implemented for the application of mud to a person's body. One of these solutions consists of manually applying this mud, in the form of thick mud (Peloid) or poultice, to the parts of the body to be treated. Obviously, application by means of thick mud requires the intervention of a nursing staff, which can be particularly time-consuming for this staff in a specialized environment, such as a thermal, balneotherapy or thalassotherapy establishment, not to mention that this manual application limits the number of people likely to be treated depending on the size of this staff.

[0004] The application of poultices does not allow direct contact with the mud and its active ingredients.

[0005] Another solution consists of immersing a user almost entirely or at least partially in a basin filled with liquid mud which is a collective treatment.

[0006] Another solution involves continuously diffusing liquid mud locally onto the joints via articulated nozzles. The mud is brought in and maintained at temperature to prevent the user from cooling down during the treatment. Often, a circulation of the mud is generated inside this bathtub to improve the therapeutic effect by renewing the peloid on the surface of the body. For this purpose, mud injection nozzles are provided inside the bathtub. They are supplied through a recirculation circuit taking this mud by pouring it into an overflow in the bathtub. This recirculation of the mud most often occurs in this case by passing through a suitable reprocessing unit.

[0007] Apart from the need to maintain a large quantity of thermal mud at temperature, it must be subjected to various sanitary reprocessing operations after each user.

[0008] Note that document FR 2 951 934 discloses a device for the localized application of thermal mud to the body of a user, comprising a structure shaped so as to constitute a cavity for receiving the body of this user in a lying position. This device also comprises localized nozzles for injecting mud at different points in said cavity, as well as at least one sludge suction mouth located in the lower part of said cavity and connected to means for recirculating the mud in order to convey it towards the injection nozzles via a reprocessing unit, external to the device.

[0009] It should be noted that such a sludge reprocessing unit involves complex filtration and pasteurization operations. In addition, the effectiveness of this reprocessing is dependent on the residence time of the sludge in said unit. However, the longer the residence time, the greater the quantities of sludge to be used for the proper functioning of such a device, as described in document FR 2 951 934.

[0010] In short, if, in comparison with a device implementing treatment by immersion of the user's body, that described in this document FR 2 951 934 requires the implementation of a smaller quantity of treatment sludge, the total quantity of sludge necessary for the proper functioning of the device remains very significant due to the residence time for the reprocessing of this sludge. This results in the same disadvantages already mentioned above, namely an unfavorable energy efficiency due to a large quantity of sludge to be heated, then maintained at temperature and a particularly bulky installation linked almost exclusively to the sludge reprocessing unit.

[0011] Furthermore, such reprocessing units are generally unable to extract liquid and / or soluble pollutants that these sludges may gradually contain during successive user treatments, so that, most often, they no longer meet the health requirements and standards in force.

[0012] It is within the framework of an inventive approach that a device for applying liquid mud to the body of a user was imagined, capable of using only a quantity of mud strictly necessary for the treatment cycle to be carried out and allowing, where appropriate, a single use of this mud.

[0013] More particularly, the applicant thought of directly installing in the structure of the thermal mud application device a reservoir capable of containing a volume of mud corresponding to the treatment of a user, this reservoir being integrated into the mud recirculation means between injection means and mud evacuation means.

[0014] In a second inventive approach, it was considered to equip this tank with means for preparing the mud comprising at least stirring means for mixing its contents.

[0015] To this end, the invention relates to a device for applying thermal mud comprising a structure comprising a peripheral belt wall extending between a ground support base, in the lower part, and an upper part defining a cavity shaped to accommodate a user in a seated, semi-seated or lying position, said device comprising means for localized injection of mud and said cavity comprising means for evacuating mud, these means for injecting and evacuating mud being connected through means for recirculating the mud.

[0016] Advantageously, the peripheral wall, the ground support base and the upper wall delimit a housing for receiving a mud tank to which said mud injection means and said mud evacuation means are connected via the mud recirculation means.

[0017] According to another feature of the invention, the tank is equipped with means for preparing the sludge comprising at least means for stirring its contents.

[0018] According to yet another feature of the invention, the device for localized mud application comprises means for connection to a water supply network.

[0019] According to another feature of the invention, this application device comprises a cover mounted to tilt on the structure capable of occupying at least one closed position in which it extends at least partly above said cavity, this cover being equipped, on its internal side oriented towards said cavity in this closed position, with at least one injector, preferably at least one mud injection ramp connected to mud recirculation means.

[0020] The invention also relates to a method for implementing the application device, consisting of: - to discharge or prepare in the tank a determined quantity of sludge for the treatment of a user; - to bring the hood into the closed position; - to control the supply of the mud injection means via the mud recirculation means to discharge the mud into the cavity; - to maintain, during a determined treatment time cycle, a recirculation of the sludge through the cavity by recovering the sludge in the tank in communication with the evacuation means and the recovery of this sludge from the tank by the recirculation pump for supplying said injection means.

[0021] This method also provides, according to the invention, a first step of bringing the cavity up to temperature, consisting of: - to pour hot water into the tank and to supply the injection means and / or the rinsing nozzles with this hot water via the mud recirculation means; - or to supply the rinsing nozzles with hot fresh water and / or hot sea water through a fresh water or sea water supply network.

[0022] This method according to the invention also provides a step of rinsing the cavity at the end of a user's treatment cycle. This rinsing can also take place with the user still installed in the application device.

[0023] the advantages arising from the present invention consist in that the reservoir with which the mud application device is equipped is capable of containing a quantity of mud strictly necessary for the treatment of a user. In this regard, this single-use mud, being moreover dispersed locally on the parts of the body to be treated, represents a reduced volume of mud, of the order of 10 liters, or even less, requiring only a tiny quantity of heat energy to be brought to and maintained at temperature.

[0024] In this regard, in one of the variants of the processes according to the invention, this sludge can be prepared directly in the tank by adding hot water

[0025] These advantages combined with the absence of sludge treatment make it possible to obtain a very energy-efficient and, consequently, economical sludge application device, but also, mainly, very hygienic, capable of meeting current strict health constraints.

[0026] Another important advantage is the easy access to the ground floor unit, which allows direct access for people with limited or difficult mobility.

[0027] Other aims and advantages of the present invention will appear during the description which follows relating to an embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes.

[0028] understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached figures in which:

[0029] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates the mud application device, hood closed;

[0030] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a representation similar to [Fig.l], the device mud application being shown with hood open;

[0031] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the hydraulic circuits of this device of application, namely, essentially that of mud and water supply;

[0032] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates an additional hydraulic circuit for rinsing water.

[0033] As shown in the attached figures 1 to 3, the present invention relates to a device 1 for applying thermal mud.

[0034] This application device 1 comprises a structure 2 comprising, essentially, a peripheral belt wall 3 extending between a ground support base 4 in the lower part 5 and an upper part 6 defining a cavity 7. The peripheral belt wall 3 closes, at least partially, the structure 2 of the application device 1 on its periphery.

[0035] The cavity 7 is shaped to accommodate a user in a seated, semi-seated (or partially reclined) position as seen in [Fig. 3] or in a fully reclined position.

[0036] At the level of this upper part 6 of the structure 2, this cavity 7 is delimited at least in part at the periphery by a rim 8 avoiding the risks of mud or water spilling outwards.

[0037] Similarly, this cavity 7 comprises at least one lower part 9 of generally concave shape allowing the hydraulic flows to be concentrated there, whether for the purpose of their recirculation or their evacuation.

[0038] Advantageously, the cavity 7 can also take an anatomical shape to accommodate a user, depending on the case in a seated, semi-seated or lying position. Thus, this cavity 7 can define, on either side of a seat 10 preferably located at the level of the lower part 9, a backrest 11 and a footrest portion 12. Thus, this cavity 7 can take the form of a chaise longue. It can also be provided to receive one or more intermediate structures with anatomical contours designed to comfortably accommodate a user, depending on the case seated or lying down. Such an intermediate structure can be defined as an interchangeable type.

[0039] Thus, for example, in the lower part 9 of this cavity 7 a seat 13 can be arranged and / or the upper part 15 of the backrest 11 can be equipped with a headrest 14.

[0040] This mud application device 1 according to the invention also comprises mud injection means 16. These can take the form of localized mud injectors 17 or even injection ramps 18, depending on the way in which the mud is to be poured onto the different parts of a user's body.

[0041] Thus, by way of preferred example, in the upper part 15 of the backrest 11, in particular under the headrest 14 when the cavity 7 is equipped with it, at least one mud injector 17 is provided, preferably several, advantageously designed to deliver a blade of mud capable of flowing, depending on the case, along the cervical vertebrae and / or the shoulders and / or the back of the user.

[0042] These mud injection means 16 will more particularly take the form of an injection ramp 18 in this cavity 7 to spray the legs and pelvis of the user installed in the application device 1.

[0043] In this regard, it preferably comprises a cover 19 advantageously pivotally mounted in the upper part 6 of the structure 2. This cover 19 is defined for occupy at least one closed position 20, as visible in [Fig.l], in which it partially covers the cavity 7. More particularly, this cover 19 is defined to, in this closed position 20, cover the footrest portion 12 of the cavity 7.

[0044] This cover 19 is also designed to be tilted into an open position 21, as shown in [Fig.2], so as to facilitate the installation or exit of a user from the cavity 7 of the application device 1.

[0045] As can also be seen in this [Fig.2] illustrating a preferred embodiment, this cover 19 can be mounted tilting on the structure 2 of the application device 1 at the end 22 of the cavity 7, on the side of the footrest portion 12.

[0046] Preferably, this cover 19 is equipped on its internal side 24, oriented in the direction of the cavity 7 when it is in the closed position 20, with at least one injection ramp 18, advantageously two injection ramps 18, extending substantially longitudinally, that is to say parallel to the longitudinal median plane of the application device 1 in such a way as to be able to pour mud onto the legs and pelvis of the user lying in the cavity 7.

[0047] Referring to [Fig. 3], this application device 1 also comprises mud evacuation means 25 which can take the simplified form of a hole or a flow channel in the lower part 9 of the cavity 7. In particular, these mud evacuation means 25 can be located under the seat 13 at the height of the base 10 of the cavity 7.

[0048] The mud evacuation means 25 and the mud injection means 16 are, moreover, connected through mud recirculation means 26. These comprise in particular a mud recirculation pump 27 to which said evacuation means 25 and the injection means 16 are connected by means of suitable piping 28.

[0049] According to the invention, the peripheral belt wall 3, the ground support base 4 and the upper wall 6 defining the cavity 7 delimit a housing 29 for receiving a mud tank 30 to which the injection means 16 and the evacuation means 25 are connected by means of the mud recirculation means 26.

[0050] Advantageously, this is defined with a capacity adapted to the volume of sludge necessary for the treatment of a user. In particular, this capacity is less than 50 liters, preferably it is between 10 and 30 liters, more particularly between 10 and 20 liters.

[0051] Thus, before each cycle of treatment of a user by application of mud, an operator can, as the case may be, pour or prepare in this tank 30 the quantity of mud necessary for this treatment.

[0052] For this purpose, this reservoir 30 can be defined as retractable from the housing 29 delimited by the structure 2 of the application device 1.

[0053] However, according to a preferred embodiment, this reservoir 30 extends under the lower part 9 of the cavity 7 and is in the form of a tank 31 closed by a retractable cover 32, while delimiting an opening 33 for flow into this reservoir 30. In short, this opening 33, in communication with the reservoir 30, substantially designs the mud evacuation means 25. By way of example, the cover 32 can be defined by the part forming the seat 10 of the cavity 7 or by the seat 13 which can be installed in this cavity 7 at the height of this seat 10.

[0054] Thus, the quantity of sludge necessary for the treatment of a user can be directly poured by an operator into this tank 30 after having removed the cover 32. In particular, this sludge can be preheated to be brought to the treatment temperature before being poured into the tank 30.

[0055] This operator can also prepare directly in this tank 30 this quantity of sludge useful for the treatment of a user, by pouring into it a determined quantity of water, preferably hot, and by adding to this water the different active principles, namely a mixture of solid substrate (earth, clay, sediment, precipitates, etc.).

[0056] For this purpose, in this tank 30 can be installed means for preparing this sludge comprising at least stirring means which can take different embodiments and having the aim of homogenizing this water and this mixture of solid substrate.

[0057] Advantageously, this tank 30 is connected to the recirculation pump 27 by means of said piping 28 allowing the recirculation of its contents by passing through the injection means 16. Note that this connection of the tank 30 to the recirculation pump 27 can be ensured through a drain plug 34. In this case, the latter can be equipped with suitable sealing means allowing, at the end of treatment of a user, to evacuate the sludge contained in the tank 30, depending on the case to the sewer or into a suitable evacuation tank.

[0058] Incidentally, the sludge recirculation means 26 comprise heating means, for example an electrical resistor, making it possible to raise and maintain the temperature of the sludge. According to a preferred embodiment, these heating means equip the sludge tank 30.

[0059] The application device 1 may also be equipped with connection means 35, 36 to a cold and / or hot fresh water supply network 37 and / or cold and / or hot sea water 38. It should be noted that in the case of a hot water supply, it is possible to dispense with said heating means, except that they can contribute to maintaining the temperature of the sludge recirculating in the application device 1.

[0060] The mud recirculation means 26 can, in combination with the injection means 16 and the evacuation means 25, define means for rinsing, or even for heating the cavity 7 of the application device 1, quite simply by pouring cold water or hot water into the reservoir 30, as the case may be, or by connecting, upstream, the recirculation pump 27 to a cold and / or hot fresh water supply network 37 and / or cold and / or hot sea water 38.

[0061] According to a preferred embodiment visible in [Fig.4], the cavity 7 and / or the cover 19 of the supply device 1 is advantageously equipped with rinsing and / or preheating nozzles 39. These are connected, as the case may be, to the tank 30 through the recirculation pump 27 and / or directly to the cold and / or hot fresh water supply network 37 and / or cold and / or hot sea water 38.

[0062] As for the method of implementing this application device 1, it consists, essentially: - depending on the case, to discharge or prepare in the tank 30, a determined quantity of sludge for the treatment of a user; - to bring the hood 19 into the closed position 20; - to control the supply of the mud injection means 16 via the mud recirculation means 26 to discharge the mud into the cavity 7 of the application device 1; - to maintain, during a determined treatment time cycle, a recirculation of the sludge through the cavity 7 by recovering the sludge in the tank 30 which the evacuation means 25 comprises and the recovery of this sludge from the tank 30 by the recirculation pump 27 for supplying said injection means 16.

[0063] Obviously, these steps of the method are more particularly carried out after a user has comfortably installed himself in the cavity 7 of the application device 1.

[0064] These steps of the method for implementing the application device 1 may be preceded by a first step of heating the cavity 7 consisting, according to a first variant, of pouring hot water into the reservoir 30 and supplying the injection means 16 and / or the rinsing nozzles 39 with this hot water via the sludge recirculation means 26.

[0065] According to a second variant, this step of heating the cavity 7 consists of supplying the rinsing nozzles 39 with hot fresh water and / or hot sea water through a fresh water supply network 37 or sea water 38.

[0066] If this temperature-setting step can take place when the user is installed in the application device 1, it is preferably carried out beforehand.

[0067] Advantageously, this method of implementing the application device 1 according to the invention also comprises a step of rinsing the cavity 7 at the end of a user's treatment cycle.

[0068] This rinsing step can be carried out in different ways. In particular, it can consist of: • to empty the mud tank 30, • to pour clean water into the mud tank 30, • to supply the injection means 16 and / or the rinsing nozzles 39 of this clean water taken from the tank 30 by the recirculation pump 27 of the recirculation means 26 to discharge it into the cavity 7; • to collect in the tank 30, through the evacuation means 25, the rinsing water and to empty the tank 30.

[0069] According to another way of carrying out this rinsing step consists, after having emptied the mud tank 30; • supply the rinsing nozzles 39 with clean rinsing water via the fresh water supply network 37 and / or sea water 38; • to be collected in the tank 30, through the evacuation means 25, rinsing water to be emptied from the tank 30.

[0070] Unlike the step of heating the cavity 7, this rinsing step can be carried out at the end of the treatment cycle, with the user still installed in the application device 1, so that this user can, himself, be freed from the residual mud on his body before extracting himself from the cavity 7.

[0071] The entire control of the application device 1 can be automated. However, it can be equipped with a control station, for example in the form of a touch screen, installed directly on the structure 2 or remotely, using suitable intercommunication means, so as to be able to intervene on different treatment parameters: duration, temperature, choice of different treatment cycles and / or supply of the injectors 17 and / or injection ramps 18, etc.

[0072] The advantages arising from the present invention consist in that the application device 1, in the form of a self-contained unit, is very compact because it does not require external means for reprocessing the sludge. In particular, such an application device 1, according to the invention, can find use both in a thermal, balneotherapy or thalassotherapy establishment and in a beauty, hydrotherapy or physiotherapy practice, for example, where it can be placed in an individual cabin.

[0073] The preparation of sludge in situ is also a very big advantage, especially since the quantity of sludge to be prepared can be limited to the treatment of a single user. In addition, thanks to the recirculation means 26, the mud can be poured onto the user while being recovered, continuously, by the evacuation means 25, the quantity of mud to be used can be reduced, between 7 and 20 liters, preferably of the order of 10 liters. Note that, thanks to the injection means, this can be diffused over the entire body.

[0074] Another advantage results from the possibility of rinsing the user while he is still in the application device 1, at the same time as the rinsing of the cavity 7 takes place.

[0075] Furthermore, the cost of treatment by applying mud to a user proves to be very economical, whether due to the small quantity of mud used during such treatment or due to a reduced energy requirement to maintain the temperature of the various fluids used.

Claims

Claims

1. Thermal mud application device (1) comprising a structure (2) comprising a peripheral belt wall (3) extending between a ground support base (4), in the lower part (5), and an upper part (6) defining a cavity (7) shaped to accommodate a user in a seated, semi-seated or lying position, said device (1) comprising mud injection means (16) and said cavity (7) comprising mud evacuation means (25), these injection means (16) and mud evacuation means (25) being connected through mud recirculation means (26), characterized in that the peripheral belt wall (3), the ground support base (4) and the upper wall (6) delimit a housing (29) for receiving a mud reservoir (30) to which said mud injection means (16) and said mud evacuation means are connected (25) via the mud recirculation means (26).

2. Application device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity (7) comprises at least one lower part (9) of generally concave shape to concentrate the hydraulic flows there, whether for the purpose of their recirculation or their evacuation.

3. Application device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cavity (7) takes an anatomical shape to accommodate a user, depending on the case in a seated, semi-seated or lying position and comprises, on either side of a seat (10) located at the level of the lower part (9), a backrest (11) and a footrest portion (12).

4. Application device (1) according to claim 3 characterized in that the reservoir (30) extends under the lower part (9) of the cavity (7) and is in the form of a tank (31) closed by a retractable cover (32), while delimiting an opening (33) for flow into this reservoir (30) designing the mud evacuation means (25).

5. Application device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the reservoir (30) has a capacity of less than 50 liters, preferably between 10 and 30 liters, more particularly between 10 and 20 liters.

6. Application device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that preparation means comprising at least stirring means are installed in the reservoir (30).

7. Application device (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a cover (19) pivotally mounted in the upper part (6) of the structure (2) so as to be able to occupy at least one closed position (20) to at least partially cover the cavity (7).

8. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the upper part (6) of the structure (2) the cavity (7) is delimited at least partly at the periphery by a rim (8).

9. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mud recirculation means (26) comprise a mud recirculation pump (27) to which said evacuation means (25) and the injection means (16) are connected, the reservoir (30) being connected to the recirculation pump (27) through a drain plug (34).

10. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mud injection means (16) comprise localized mud injectors (17) and / or injection ramps (18).

11. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sludge recirculation means (26) comprise heating means.

12. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sludge recirculation means (26) define, in combination with the injection means (16) and the evacuation means (25), means for rinsing and / or heating the cavity (7).

13. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavity (7) and / or the cover (19) is equipped with rinsing and / or preheating nozzles (39).

14. Application device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with connection means (35; 36) to a water supply network cold and / or warm fresh water (37) and / or cold and / or warm sea water (38).

15. Method for implementing the application device (1), according to claims 1 to 14, consisting of: - pouring or preparing in the tank (30), a determined quantity of sludge for the treatment of a user; - bringing the cover (19) into the closed position (20); - controlling the supply of the sludge injection means (16) via the sludge recirculation means (26) to pour the sludge into the cavity (7); - maintaining, during a determined treatment time cycle, a recirculation of the sludge through the cavity (7) by recovering the sludge in the tank (30) in communication with the evacuation means (25) and the recovery of this sludge from the tank (30) by the recirculation pump (27) for supplying said injection means (16).

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a first step of heating the cavity (7) consisting of: - pouring hot water into the tank (30) and supplying the injection means (16) and / or the rinsing nozzles (39) with this hot water via the sludge recirculation means (26) - or supplying the rinsing nozzles (39) with hot fresh water and / or hot sea water through a fresh water (37) or sea water (38) supply network.

17. Method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that it also comprises a step of rinsing the cavity (7) at the end of a user's treatment cycle.

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